From: tzarros@ccs.carleton.ca (Theodore Zarros) Subject: News (in ENGLISH)- Fri, 21 Oct 1994 (Greek Press Office BBS, Ottawa). Athens News Agency Bulletin, October 21, 1994 --------------------------------------------- * Arab, Israeli diplomats welcome premier's initiative to assist mediation between Syria, Israel * Tel Aviv bombing * Albanian draft constitution * Gov't awaits results of van der Stoel report from official sources * Opposition reactions * Vartholomeos arrives in Kalymnos * NATO official due in Athens for official visit * Papoulias meets with visiting Bulgarian FM * Interior Ministry announces final results for local elections * Ministries to blame for poll mess, Pappas says Arab, Israeli diplomats welcome premier's initiative to assist mediation between Syria, Israel ------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 21/10/1994 (ANA): Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou will visit Damascus on Monday to help mediate between Syria and Israel. Arab and Israeli diplomats in Athens welcomed the initiative being undertaken by Greece in the Middle East following an announcement yesterday that Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou will pay an official visit to Damascus on October 24-26 at the invitation of Syrian President Hafez al-Assad. Mr. Papandreou will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias. In statements to the ANA, Israeli Ambassador David Sasson said that the premier's visit was a "very positive event". "If Mr. Papandreou is able to bring Syria closer to Israel, thereby supporting peace efforts, he will have achieved a very important step for peace in the region of the Middle East," Mr. Sasson said. Following the recent agreement between Israel and Jordan, to be signed at a special ceremony on 26 or 27 October in the presence of US President Bill Clinton, rapprochement between Israel and Syria is widely regarded as the key to an overall Middle East agreement. Syria's peace talks with Israel are stalled over withdrawal from the Golan Heights, occupied by Israel since the 1967 war, and over future ties. Damascus wants Israel to fully withdraw from the Golan while Israel wants normalisation of ties with Syria before revealing the extent of its pullback. PLO diplomatic mission attache Ismat Sabri also welcomed Greece's initiative, underlining the special role Athens can play in peace efforts "due to the good relations Greece maintains with the Arab world and the countries of the region". "Were it not for the Balkan crisis and if Greece was not confronting a number of national issues, Athens could have played a leading role in Middle East peace efforts right from the outset," Mr. Sabri told the ANA. Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said later that Greek-Syrian relations and the problems of the wider region would be the focus of talks between Mr. Papandreou and Mr. Assad. The spokesman said that he did not know whether Mr. Papandreou would undertake some mediation, adding however that developments in the region were of particular interest "to Greece, Greek foreign policy and Greek business interests". Referring to Mr. Clinton's presence in the region at the same time, Mr. Venizelos said this was not a coincidence. Mr. Venizelos expressed the government's grief at the Tel Aviv bus bombing which he strongly condemned as "a brutal terrorist act". Twenty-two people were killed and 45 injured in the bombing yesterday. Main Opposition New Democracy party said in an announcement yesterday that "the prime ministers' special visit to Syria reflects the faulty establishment of priorities in the government's foreign policy" and called on the premier to think "how to best use this visit to benefit our national issues." Tel Aviv bombing ---------------- Athens, 21/10/1994 (ANA): Meanwhile, a Foreign Ministry announcement said that the bombing of a bus in Tel Aviv "which follows the recent attack by gunmen in West Jerusalem resulting in the murder and wounding of innocent people, as well as the kidnapping and murder of an Israeli soldier, constitutes an attempt by extremist circles to wreck the Middle East peace process using terrorism". "We are certain that such cowardly acts will not sap the political courage and determination of the leaders of the region to give their peoples a better, peaceful future," the announcement said. Gov't awaits results of van der Stoel report from official sources ----------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 21/10/1994 (ANA): The government said yesterday that it was not aware of the content of the report drawn up by Conference on the Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) Commissioner for Ethnic Minorities Max van der Stoel on the protection of human rights in Albania. "The only thing which the government knows are the relevant statements by Albanian President Sali Berisha, but this is not the safest way for one to be informed about the content of the report," government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said. Mr. van der Stoel was quoted by an Albanian Presidency announcement Wednesday as saying that the Albanian leadership fully complied with its obligations to the country's ethnic Greek minority according to CSCE principles. It said the commissioner's conclusions were based on "evidence which the CSCE Commissioner gathered during his visits (to the country) and (also based) on the results of the examination of the situation by many experts." Mr. Venizelos said that instructions had been given to the Greek embassy in Tirana and the Greek delegation at the CSCE to contact Mr. van der Stoel and be informed of the report at first hand. Mr. Venizelos described statements by Mr. Berisha on minority problems as "allegations and illusions on the part of Albania" and advised Tirana to concern itself with safeguarding human rights in Albania "instead of expressing satisfaction and trying to divert attention to the rights of supposed minorities in Greece." He said that such a course of action by the Albanian government "cannot constitute a serious basis for communication between the two countries". According to the Albanian Presidency announcement, President Berisha said the "CSCE's interest in the state of the slavo-Macedonian, Turkish and Albanian minorities in Greece, in a bid to have their rights respected and recognised, will constitute a positive contribution towards the implementation of CSCE principles and stability in the region." Referring to statements by European Commissioner Hans van den Broek on the violation of the human rights of the Greek minority in Albania, who reportedly said that there were simply "some violations", Mr. Venizelos said that the commissioner had cited Mr. van der Stoel's report without knowing the final and full text. "The commissioner should also be aware of the (recent) findings of the competent Subcommittee for the Protection of Minorities of the UN Human Rights Committee," Mr. Venizelos said. "Furthermore, he should take into consideration the statements, reservations and sensitivities which have been expressed at the EU Council of Ministers, by its presidency and by the previous, current and future presidencies," the spokesman added. Mr. van den Broek on Wednesday said a CSCE report showed that there were no serious violations of the rights of the five ethnic Greek Albanians convicted and jailed by a Tirana court on charges of espionage and illegal arms possession. The trial by a lower court and a later appeals trial prompted stern reactions by the Greek government which denounced them as a "farce" and aimed at intimidating the ethnic Greek minority in southern Albania, estimated at 300,000. Greece reacted to the trials by blocking European financial assistance to Albania on the grounds of the country's failure to improve its human rights records. Albanian draft constitution --------------------------- Athens, 21/10/1994 (ANA): Meanwhile in Brussels, Greek Euro MP Yiannis Roubatis asked the European Commission to state its intended action on averting vote of the paragraph four of article 7 of Albania's draft constitution. According to the paragraph, the head of any religious community in Albania should be an Albanian citizen, have been born in Albania, and have resided there for the past 20 years. He also called on the Commission to specify whether the granting of European Union financial assistance to Albania would be re-examined in light of fresh violations of religious freedoms. Greece blocked the first part of a EU macroeconomic assistance to Albania on the grounds of its poor human rights record. Mr. Roubatis accused the Albanian government of attempting to leave the Orthodox Church of Albania "acephalous" (leaderless) since no Albanian citizen is qualified to assume the leadership of the church. "The Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania, the country's oldest and largest church, has been under persecution, like no other, in the past 50 years, and unfortunately, after three years of revival, it is again under persecution," Mr. Roubatis said. The Orthodox Church of Albania issued a memorandum denouncing the paragraph of the country's proposed constitution on freedom of religious communities saying it "causes great disturbance to the church." The memorandum was handed to Mr. van der Stoel Tuesday by Archbishop Anastasios of the Church of Albania who said that "the true freedom of a religious minority in a country means basic independence in its internal affairs." The memorandum was also sent to Albanian President Sali Berisha, Prime Minister Aleksander Meksi and President of the Parliament Pjeter Arbnori. Last week, government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said that both the issue of the election and office of the head of the Orthodox Church of Albania was the exclusive concern of the church. In a further development yesterday, president of the European Parliament Claus Haensh and the presidents of the national parliaments of the European Union in reply letters to the president of the Greek Parliament Apostolos Kaklamanis noted their "sensitivity over the conviction of the (ethnic Greek political organisation) Omonia leaders and the violation of human rights in Albania," adding that they agree to a proposal by Mr. Kaklamanis to hold meetings between their delegations and a Greek delegation focusing on the situation in Albania. A delegation comprising deputies from all parties represented in the Greek parliament will begin a tour of Madrid, Paris and Luxembourg on October 25 to hold the meetings. Opposition reactions -------------------- Athens, 21/10/1994 (ANA): Commenting on the Albanian Presidency's announcement on supposed minorities in Greece, the main opposition New Democracy party yesterday called on the government to "confront the figments of Albanian imagination in the making before they become established in the consciousness of the international public opinion, with irreparable consequences for Greece." Political Spring party spokesman Akis Gerontopoulos said the "Tirana government should not concern itself with grandiose ideas but instead it would be wise if it protected, instead of violating, the human rights and the political freedoms of the Greeks living in its region." Vartholomeos arrives in Kalymnos -------------------------------- Athens, 21/10/1994 (ANA): Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos arrived at the flag-decked port of Kalymnos yesterday morning to be welcomed by local authorities, crowds of people and fireworks, the traditional way to welcome visitors on this Aegean island. Church-bells pealed on the island, the third stop of the Patriarch's tour of the Dodecannese, as the Patriarch disembarked from the yacht 'Alexandros'. He was greeted on the pier by Southern Aegean Regional Governor Nikos Sarantis, Mayor Mihalis Zairis, the president of the Supreme Court and Greek Church representatives. Addressing the Patriarch, Mr. Sarantis said the Greeks expected him to contribute to a solution to national problems. Municipal authorities in Kalymnos declared him an honorary citizen of the island and named a central street in Kalymnos after him. Heading for the Church of the Saviour where a church service was held, the Patriarch stopped to bless and talk to people. Replying to questioners on his meeting with Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou on the island of Kos today, Patriarch Vartholomeos said they would discuss many important issues, adding that he is aware that many government members will be with him and wit h whom he will hold separate talks. Patriarch Vartholomeos arrived on Kos late last night. NATO official due in Athens for official visit ---------------------------------------------- Athens, 21/10/1994 (ANA): NATO Assistant Secretary General Robin Beard, in charge of defence assistance issues and president of the Conference of National Armament Directors, will pay a two-day official visit to Athens on October 24. Mr. Beard will meet with the military and political leadership of the National Defence General Staff and tour a defence equipment manufacturing plant. Papoulias meets with visiting Bulgarian FM ------------------------------------------ Athens, 21/10/1994 (ANA): Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias had talks yesterday with his Bulgarian counterpart Ivan Stantchov on bilateral issues and matters concerning relations with the European Union. Mr. Stantchov was appointed foreign minister while on a tour of European capitals as special envoy of Bulgarian President Zhelyu Zhelev within the framework of his country's co-operation with the Schengen Agreement on the movement of populations, the combating of the narcotics trade and crime in general. According to press sources, Mr. Papoulias and Mr. Stantchov, who is here on a one-day visit, discussed the further development of the already good relations between the two countries, the situation in the Balkans and Bulgaria's relations with the EU. Mr. Stantchov later had talks with Foreign Under-Secretary Yiannos Kranidiotis, who is responsible for European Union issues, and attended a luncheon given in his honour by Foreign Under-Secretary Gregoris Niotis. Interior Ministry announces final results for local elections ------------------------------------------------------------- Athens, 21/10/1994 (ANA): The Interior Ministry yesterday announced the overall results of the first round of municipal and prefectural elections. The New Democracy party-supported ticket of Dimitris Avramopoulos for the municipality of Athens came first with 43.88 per cent (153,382 votes) and 10 seats in the City Council. PASOK-supported candidate Theodoros Pangalos received 32.77 per cent (114,560 votes) and seven seats, followed by Coalition of the Left and Progress-supported candidate Maria Damanaki with 11.16 per cent (30,010 votes) and three seats, Communist Party o f Greece (KKE) candidate Leon Avdis with 6.22 per cent (21,743 votes) and one seat, and Political Spring candidate Andreas Lentakis with 3.78 per cent (13,224 votes) and no seats. A total of 383,534 Athenians voted for a new mayor at 1,435 polling stations. Invalid votes totalled 19,254 and blank votes tallied at 14,702 with a 34.18 per cent abstention rate. Sunday's run-off in Athens will be between Mr. Avramopoulos and Mr. Pangalos, while the run-off in Piraeus will be between Stelios Logothetis (backed by PASOK and the Coalition), who received 32.78 per cent (38,718 votes), and Haralambos Kefalas (ND-Political Spring) who received 26.81 per cent (31,662 votes). In the elections for prefectural councils, the PASOK-backed ticket headed by Evangelos Kouloumbis received 40.30 per cent, while the ND-Political Spring backed ticket of Theodoros Katrivanos received 40.09 per cent, followed by KKE candidate Spyros Halvatzis with 11.2 per cent and Coalition candidate Yannis Dragasakis with 8.41 per cent. Sunday's run-off will be between Mr. Kouloumbis and Mr. Katrivanos. Overall, run-off ballots will be held in 37 out of 50 prefectural districts and in 236 out of 434 municipal authorities. With less than 72 hours away from the second contest, the two runners-up in Athens engaged in intense lobbying yesterday, meeting successively with Ms Damanaki and Mr. Lentakis, who both stated afterwards that they did not discuss electoral co-operation in the second round, only issues concerning the municipal authority and its problems. Ms Damanaki expressed her concern that the contest now had acquired a narrow party character that had nothing to do with the problems facing the city or their solution. Commenting on Wednesday's endorsement of PASOK-supported candidates in the second round by the Coalition's Central Committee, she said: "I am not bound by the Coalition's decisions; I respect them, but I cannot judge them at the present moment, and I do not recommend any individual or ticket in the second round because I cannot guarantee their policies". Mr. Lentakis thanked all voters who honoured him with their support, and reiterated the Political Spring party's recommendation to its supporters to vote according to conscience. Following a meeting between the Athens/Piraeus prefectural council runner-up Evangelos Kouloumbis, and Coalition candidate Yiannis Dragasakis and president Nikos Constantopoulos, Mr. Dragasakis said Coalition supporters should vote according to conscience, but urged them to "consider the consequences of the assumption of this institution by conservative political forces, which to date, have been hostile to it". Mr. Constantopoulos is due to meet with Mr. Pangalos late this afternoon. Mr. Avramopoulos stated that he would not seek meetings with any party representatives or ask for open support by any ticket. He called on all candidates to commit themselves to a "Pact for Athens", as he called it, based on a common denominator of ideas and proposals. A New Democracy party statement yesterday called on all voters to vote against all tickets "supported by the government and representing an extension of its bankrupt policy". Ministries to blame for poll mess, Pappas says ---------------------------------------------- Athens, 21/10/1994 (ANA): In a press conference yesterday, president of the Athens Bar Association Takis Pappas attributed responsibility for the absence of judicial officials in many polling stations in the Athens area on Sunday to the ministries of interior and justice, as well as to the head of the First Instance court which appointed the officials. He claimed that the Interior Ministry did not despatch the number of polling stations in time, and neither did the First Instance court issue the appointments in time.